Forward Progress – A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: NFL Championship Weekend – You Taking Mike or Sean?
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

Theme:
Dan and Matt examine the emotional landscape for Bears fans as the team’s offseason begins, process the aftermath of the Chicago Bears’ season, and look ahead to NFL Championship weekend. They blend deep Bears analysis with broader NFL storylines, tackle contract questions, management philosophies, and culture issues, while maintaining their trademark blend of witty banter and real talk.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Processing the Bears’ Season Ending

• Dan’s emotional context: Bears fans feeling the bittersweet “phantom pain” of not having their team in the playoffs, but maintaining anticipation for NFL Championship weekend.

  “For the first time in a while, it does give us that phantom pain a little bit of not having another Bears game to which to look forward... We're gonna watch and we're gonna be excited... but it's a weird place to be…” (00:53)

• Matt’s closure: Credits front office transparency and reasonable end-of-season messaging with helping him move on:

  “The press conference and hearing from Bears leadership kind of put a nice little bow on things for me... I'm ready to go.” (02:04)

• Special note on Head Coach Ben Johnson telling Caleb Williams and the team to “disengage” and reset mentally—a concept both hosts fully endorse, likening it to youth sports and burnout prevention.

2. DJ Moore Controversy & Transparency

• Lack of closure: Matt’s only lingering disappointment is the unclear communication about DJ Moore’s late-season situation:

  “I would have liked to have heard... more than just a miscommunication... I really want to know what went wrong on that play.” (06:02)

• Staff perspective: Acknowledgment that as fans, they’re not strictly “owed” an explanation, yet transparency had become an appreciated part of Ben Johnson's culture-building.

3. Cap Space and Contract Discussion

• Cap breakdown: Dan lists the 13 Bears players with the highest 2026 cap hits, highlighting DJ Moore’s uncertain status due to his $28.5M cap hit:

  “They're not going to save any money off the cap by anything but a trade... He’s not a real valuable trade piece right now.” (08:00)

• Roster changes expected: Both anticipate significant restructuring; no way all big contracts return as they are.
• Nishan Wright debate: Matt questions paying for one breakout year; Dan: “You’re not going to pay a third [cornerback big money] off of one year’s worth of performance.” (11:59)

4. NFL Head Coaching Carousel & Front Office Moves

• Mike McDaniel’s situation: Discussing McDaniel’s possible move to Chargers OC pending head coach shots, with a side conversation about Josh Allen’s reported involvement in the Bills' next head coach hire:

  “Why shouldn’t the most important person in your organization have some kind of say?” (12:20)

• Memorable banter:

  “No, it reminds me of when... Josh McCown was getting all that look back during... the Jack Easterby craziness...” (15:26)

5. Ben Johnson’s Philosophy: No Season-to-Season Momentum

• Ben Johnson pushes the “every season starts fresh” message; both hosts support it as pragmatic and honest:

  “There is no building on... I like his perspective. I like the fact that he didn’t rest on what they accomplished...” (16:16)

• Pushback from some beat reporters, but hosts mock past “platitudes” and empty culture talk.

  “Nobody was better than Matt Nagy at giving us empty platitudes... The famous quote by Ted Phillips... did we get the quarterback right? No. Did we win enough games? No. But everything else is... okay.” (17:44)

6. Healthy Work-Life Balance in Coaching

• Discussing extremes in coaching personalities—from obsessive (Jeff Hathley) to well-adjusted (Ben Johnson):

  “That's the far extreme of it that you don't want... you don't want a guy like that, that has zero balance or zero life outside the building.” (21:17)

• Citing trends toward efficient, shorter practices (inspired by Indiana’s Kurt Signetti) as a modern, healthier approach.

7. Roster & Performance Analysis

• Revisiting the Theo Benedict topic: If a backup can’t play against top competition, should he remain on the roster? Concerns about “next man up” mentality masking critical talent gaps.
• Caleb Williams’ completion percentage:

  “The quarterback said what he needs to work on... is footwork and percentage... If you still as a fan can't understand that then there's no point [in] continuing to talk about it...” (29:26)

• Statistical note: Caleb could finish top 10-12 all-time in first-three-year NFL passing yards after next season.

Memorable Quotes & Banter

• On emotional closure:

  “But for the first time in a while, it does give us that phantom pain... I know I'm going to get over it, and I know I'm going to be able to enjoy this and the Super Bowl for what it is.” (00:53, Dan)

• On the DJ Moore silence:

  “They honestly don’t owe us an explanation... but I would have preferred... we haven't heard from DJ Moore.” (06:02, Matt)

• On Bears’ contract decisions:

  “You can't be the highest paid guy in the team and not be the number one wide receiver. You just can't.” (09:23, Matt)

• On Ben Johnson’s ‘no momentum’ ethos:

  “We’re one of the 31 teams that failed. We did great, but it wasn’t good enough. I’m on to 2026.” (16:16, Matt)

• On Bears no longer being part of NFL’s ‘stupid drama’:

  “To not to have the Bears not involved in that is, is really great. To have them not part of NFL stupid right now is great.” (15:26, Dan)

• On coaching balance:

  “There’s a difference between being competitive and being insane... you don’t want a guy like that [who] has zero balance or zero life outside the building.” (20:39 & 21:17, Dan & Matt)

Listener Feedback & Q&A Highlights

• Theo Benedict depth chart critique (25:23-28:49):
  Matt clarifies he wasn't calling for Benedict's release, just questioning why a backup is kept if he's unplayable against certain matchups, emphasizing roster efficiency.
• Caleb Williams' development (29:26-31:04):
  Both reaffirm that even the best players (and coaches) must improve, echoing Williams and Ben Johnson’s own self-critiques.

NFL Championship Weekend Picks (42:23)

• Matt: Seattle & New England in the Super Bowl.
• Dan: Denver & Seattle, with Seattle taking it all.
• Debate over “Mike vs. Sean” head coaches; confusion settled over which “Mike” and “Sean” are steering which teams.
• Noted: Bears’ Ben Johnson is an AP Coach of the Year finalist, Caleb Williams not in MVP discussion (43:32-43:50).

Notable Lighthearted Moments

• Old radio memories: Hilarious stories about cold cheeseburgers, ruined “TV dinners,” and studio punching bags (31:23-38:14).
• Thanksgiving and Chinese food rituals: Both hosts reveal food quirks and family traditions, poking fun at childhood and each other (37:23-41:18).

Closing Thoughts

• Reflection on the first post-season weekend without Bears football:

  “This first weekend without a post game show. I’m sad.” (46:07, Matt)

• The open invitation for spontaneous Bears talk and a tongue-in-cheek PSA about enduring the cold.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:53] – Emotions after the Bears season; moving on
• [03:12] – Ben Johnson’s “disengage” advice and healthy football culture
• [06:02] – DJ Moore explanation & transparency
• [08:00] – Salary cap talk and DJ Moore’s contract
• [11:00] – Nishan Wright’s future and team-building philosophy
• [12:20] – NFL head coaching changes, Josh Allen’s role in Buffalo
• [16:16] – Ben Johnson’s “no momentum” stance & reaction
• [21:17] – Coaching work-life balance extremes
• [25:23] – Theo Benedict debate and YouTube feedback
• [29:26] – Caleb Williams’ completion percentage and self-assessment
• [42:23] – Super Bowl picks and “Mike vs. Sean” coaches
• [46:07] – Show wrap-up, Bears withdrawal, and friendly banter

Tone:
Conversational, witty, steeped in Chicago fandom, with honest, detail-rich analysis punctuated by self-deprecating stories and humor.

For Bears fans and NFL followers alike:
This episode delivers equal parts commiseration, forward-looking insight, and comic relief—a perfect blend for closing one season and looking toward the next.